GENERAL DESCRIPTION, ETC.
PREVIOUS to giving the account of East Retford in its ancient state, it may seem necessary to lay before the render a concise but general description of it in the present day.
Situation.—The borough of East Retford is situated in the North Clay Division of the Hundred of Bassetlaw, in the north-eastern part of the county of Nottingham, in latitude fifty-three degrees nineteen minutes forty-six seconds north, and fifty-one minutes forty-nine seconds of west longitude, on the eastern bank of the river Idle. Its distance from London, by the Great North Road, is 144 miles, and by way of Huntingdon something less; from Nottingham 32 miles; from Lincoln, byway of Littleborough Ferry 23 miles and from Doncaster 18 miles. It is pleasantly situated on the line of the North Road, in a central part of the country, and is entered on every side by a beautiful and gradual descent; so that let the tourist approach it from what quarter soever he may, he will be particularly struck with the neatness which is every where visible around him.
Extent.–The Borough is bounded on the east and north-east by the hamlets of Moorgate and Spittal Hill; on the west by West Retford; on the south by the parish of Ordsall; and on the south-east by the hamlet of Little Gringley. Its extent is extremely limited; the whole site, comprising the cars and commons, the market-place, the streets, buildings, &c. being only about one hundred and twenty acres.
Roads, &c.–Retford occupying a situation on the Great North Road, and in the midst of a rich and fertile tract of agricultural country, possesses numerous advantages of which many other places are destitute. Whilst accommodation is afforded to travellers to the north and south, it is far from being deficient to the east and west. The road to Gainsbro’, from the facilities which that place daily affords to the port of Hull, may be said to open the way to every part of the globe: not only the treasures of the Indies, but the riches of more southern climes here find a ready conveyance. The road to Lincoln by way of Littleborough Ferry, which until lately was almost impassable at any season of the year, is now, through the admirable system promulgated by Mr. M’Adam, equal to any other in the kingdom, so that the traveller can cross to Lincoln several miles nearer than formerly; and the farmer can conveniently deliver the produce of his labour at all seasons.
To the west likewise, the public are greatly indebted to the same gentleman for the superior manner in which he has completed the road from Retford to Worksop. The expenses attendant upon this undertaking were very great; but the road—though thirty per cent. more expensive travelling than formerly, is seventy-five per cent. better, which those will acknowledge who have once ploughed the road when journeying with any vehicle across that part of the country. Having mentioned the North Road in another place, it will here be necessary only to notice, that previous to the Act of Parliament being obtained, this road was equally bad with the rest: that part towards the White Houses, (southward) called "Farmers’ Lane," was narrow and dirty, and the causeways here and there were studded with large stones for the accommodation of foot passengers; whilst towards the north, after passing West Retford field, the traveller was frequently in danger of being immersed in the bogs and quagmires, with which Barnby Common almost every where abounded.
Now however all these difficulties are obviated, better roads not being in any part of the kingdom; and from the high state of cultivation which the land has every where attained in the neighbourhood, the inhabitants may be said to live in the midst of plenty, being completely surrounded by the beauties of spring—favoured with the smiles of an almost perennial summer—bountifully supplied from the lap of a generous autumn, and completely secured from those blasts which are the bitter fruits of a northern winter.
Soil.—Dr. Miller, in his History of Doncaster, observes, that "our ancestors seem to have been fond of building their large market towns at the extremity of two different soils; thus the town of Retford 17 miles south from Doncaster, has at one end of it, a stiff clay, and at the other, sand." This remark of the Dr.’s is certainly correct, but the reader is not to suppose that these are the only kinds of land adjacent to the town. To the north-east the soil is of a blackish nature, and a light gravel; the former having been famous for the production of good hops, and the latter in the growth of wheat, and most other kinds of grain. Towards the south, the soil differs more than towards the north. In Ordsall parish, until about the middle of the last century,) the land was completely barren, its spontaneous growth hardly any thing but rushes, and let for about three shillings per acre; but from the improvements in drainage, &c. the barren wilderness became metamorphosed into a blooming landscape, and the face of nature assumed a cast, to which she had previously been a stranger. If we journey further southward, the land, for some distance, continues to increase in goodness and in value; and the fine tracts of grazing land, as well as those appropriated to agricultural purposes, bear evident testimony of the superior character of the soil.
Trade.—The trade of Retford was formerly considerable in barley, for malting, but lately has suffered a considerable declension, having been superseded by Worksop. In 1788, a worsted mill was attempted here by the late Major Cartwright and others, but the plan failed, and many individuals were ruined in consequence. A mill for the manufacture of candlewick was also established, but after the demise of its respected proprietor, (Mr. Brumby,) it fell into complete decay. Here is at present a paper mill, and a sailcloth manufactory, and the other trades are in hat and shoes.
Climate.—The climate in the neighbourhood of Retford is considered to be more equal in temperature than any of the surrounding counties; and the quantity of rain which falls is somewhat below the medium of the kingdom. In 1825, the annual average amounted only to 28.31 inches, whilst at Kendal., in Westmoreland, in the same period, it was 59.973 inches. In order to account for this deficiency, Mr. Lowe conceives, that although the greatest rains come with the easterly winds from the German Ocean, yet the stir charged clouds being powerfully attracted by the mountains of Derbyshire, pass over this part too quickly to deposit much of their moisture; whilst, on the other hand, the clouds from the Western Ocean and Irish channel are attracted and broken by the Yorkshire and Derbyshire mountains, before they arrive at this level district.
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© A P NICHOLSON | PAGE LAST UPDATED: 29 MAY 2003